Caray, Caray!

Chicles quickly tires of pretending to write vowels with Caramelo and grabs the chance to disappear with Juan José on a visit to Santiago at the tunnel house. While the two men joke in wink-wink, nudge-nudge fashion over the unsolicited kiss from nevertheless hot flirt, Zaida, Chicles alleviates boredom by snooping in the makeup room.

And with truly hilarious results that must mollify Santiago when Chicles reappears as a pint-sized version of Mario, because he's patient with the boy. Embarrassed Juan José absconds with him quickly, but not before Santiago reminds Juan José to phone Alejandra -- and that some guys indeed can remove their faces like Chicles saw in the movie.

Ulises visits Zaida in her new apartment, where she learns from him that someone she already knows lives across the hall: Mauricio's girlfriend, Elsa. He exits when she receives an irritating call from Édgar with information he's supposed to "take care" of her, and Zaida reluctantly gives Édgar her address.

Mario's resident techno-geek revisits David and Abelardo in Mario's office and explains if they want to install high-tech, covert communications in David's hotel office, the base location will have to be nearby for sufficient signal strength. David's sold on this solution due to his furious vengeance to make Adolfo eat his insults to Gabriela, in whose fortitude and intelligence he has the utmost confidence.

Édgar arrives at Zaida's, where she accuses him of spying rather than caring; and as he's exiting, Zaida encounters Elsa and Caramelo. Zaida smiles particularly at Caramelo; and Caramelo takes particular interest in Zaida, smiling and asking her name -- which Zaida also does in return, remarking with a grin that "Caramelo" is sweeter than "María del Carmen."

Before they enter their apartment, Zaida makes sure to invite Elsa to coffee later, and Caramelo turns to wave a lingering goodbye as Zaida also waves, smiling. At their departure, Édgar makes a suggestive remark that he's going to "take good care" of Zaida, to which she objects and warns him before stepping back in.

A moment later on the way to see Zaida, Ulises approaches Édgar at his post in the hallway and braces him regarding his identity; whereupon Édgar grossly overreacts and punches him in the gut. The ruckus brings everyone back out in the hall in aide of crumpled Ulises, with Édgar claiming the guy must have a stomach ache.

At the condo, nervous Bertha attempts to escape to bed; but Adolfo's sensing her fear and has a plan to unruffle her feathers. He lies in rationalizing her testimony about his alibi: nobody can vouchsafe her, and he didn't hurt David. In fact, he's the victim of the Genovéses attempt to squeeze him out just when the health of the company is threatened by Mario's and David's incapacitation.

Bertha's coming around, so he invites her to an elegant supper and flatters her "daring" and "intelligence." At Alejandra's office, she's still agitated and won't take Juan José's call; instead she and Mina plan a little carousing by themselves. In David's and Gabriela's bedroom suite, while Gabriela disappears to make a bedtime snack, David tries to push to his feet out of the wheelchair.

Upon her return, he's nowhere to be found; but Gabriela drops the snack tray, crashing to the floor, when David pulls himself around the corner -- on his feet. They celebrate with a joyous embrace. Back at Adolfo's, Bertha descends in the little black dress; but he has room service instead of a restaurant, to the tune of the pop of a cold champagne bottle.

Bertha's a little disappointed; but Adolfo continues with his encouragement plan by dangling the beach condo keys in the air between them, to her surprised delight. And he promises of course to never ask her to do anything risky, as he never has so far, he claims. Bertha is considering.

At a club, Alejandra's not happy with Juan José or any other guys who approach her and Mina. When Juan José calls her there, she blows him off; and on the other end, he angrily commits phonicide. Asunción and Chicles follow behind and pick up the pieces; but the phone is toast, and Chicles gets it to play with.

At Adolfo's safe house, bloody and broken Valentín suddenly becomes creative after Dante's threat of a nice float in the drainage canal and dredges up the idea to phone Garnica's hotel in Puerto Vallarta about his personal effects.

Next morning, Elsa makes a sad conversation with Mauricio at his studio about her uneasiness with him, the apartment, the job and everybody at the office -- and especially the engagement. She returns the engagement ring and resigns her job, regretting she can't love him like he deserves.

In Mario's office, Abelardo is absolutely effusive in congratulation at David's entrance using a walker; and "Mario" is happy, too. David explains to incredulous Gabriela the plan for high-tech, covert communications at the hotel office, where David can hear and see conversations remotely from the floor below and slip Gabriela the answers she needs in an earphone.

This morning at Adolfo's Bertha seems sufficiently diverted and convinced by the vision of her impending beach trip swimming before her eyes to allay her fears about Adolfo for the moment. As she exits upstairs, Zaida enters and reports to Adolfo her progress with Juan José and that Dante pulled him into even more investment and ruinous possibilities.

Zaida's not angered at Dante anymore; but she's furious with that brutal thug, Édgar, who beat up her friend and landlord. Adolfo calls Édgar on the carpet and makes him agree to apologize to Ulises. At Dante's, he and his goons supervise Valentín's phone call to Garnica's Puerto Vallarta hotel, where they will try to retrieve Garnica's effects.

At their studio, Mina and Alejandra painfully toast with gulps of alka seltzer when Juan José enters and can't prevent himself giving Alejandra a hard time about her club trip. Through a nasty headache, she yells that he's in no position to give her a hard time and to get lost. But when he tries to explain Zaida, Alejandra stipulates forgiveness only if he never sees her again -- which Juan José claims he can't do because of business.

Her stipulation flouted, she gives him the boot. After he exits, when Mina thinks Alejandra was being a little harsh, Alejandra exclaims Juan José is rich enough to do business with anybody! The only reason he's doing business with Zaida is because he likes the old hag!

At Yolanda's, Carlos urges her to see a doctor; but she knows she isn't physically or even mentally ill. She has a deep sadness and regret; she's led a cowardly, useless life -- lying to protect Adolfo for hideous things. Carlos takes her hand and begs Yolanda to distance herself and come live with him; and she laments no one leaves Adolfo without him wanting it.

When Carlos asks why Yolanda doesn't report Adolfo to the police, she notes it's for the same reason he does not; but now Carlos is ready to testify, he declares. Pointing up the trefoil ring on his finger, Carlos understands it is evidence in a crime.

Yolanda will not tell him which crime; but she will reveal that the person who needs the evidence is -- Mario!

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